We knew going in Collingwood had a major problem defending small forwards. So Blues coach Mick Malthouse went with his best, throwing his A-grade mosquito fleet of Jeff Garlett, Eddie Betts and Chris Yarran in waves.

Then Jarrad Waite went down with an injury, an all-too-often occurrence for those in navy blue. And the Blues would never recover. Waite is no Travis Cloke, but he is just as important to Carlton.

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A big man down, Malthouse had no option but to raise the stakes, calling in the full swarm - five smalls to surround one tall. He would use Matthew Kreuzer, Levi Casboult and Lachie Henderson as the targets.

But the Blues' best punches from the start came from the gloves of cruiser-weights such as Garlett, who kicked the opening two goals, and Betts, who kicked one and set up two more in the first quarter to give the Blues a 28-point head start.

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So then it was Nathan Buckley's move. Under pressure all week, he was as aggressive as ever, most comfortable in the heat of battle. He called the bluff and bet his big chips, moving Ben Reid forward - which kept Andrew Walker occupied - to structure up a three-pronged tall forward line. And the Pies came storming back.

Cloke booted four goals before half-time, Reid kicked two in two minutes from marks inside 50 and Jarrod Witts chimed in with another two.

The Blues required constant movement to give their small forwards a chance.

And having been a man down since quarter-time - and with Betts, Walker and Mitch Robinson carrying injuries - it was going to be a big ask. Too big.

In a way, Malthouse was fighting with one arm behind his back when you count in the body toll, especially Waite.

Smashed in the middle early (Carlton won clearances 15-7 in the first term), the Collingwood midfield didn't just wrestle back control, they ripped it off the Blues.

Paul Seedsman ignited the surge, Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury kicked into gear, and the rest went with them.

Swan was supreme, racking up a season-high 41 disposals. He was in everything, in the way he can do it. And Pendlebury's 33 disposals and impact was just as valuable.

The Pies hunted the arch enemy. And big chase-downs from behind led to big turnovers and big goals.

This was Buckley's team: eight players with fewer than 50 games' experience and six with less than 30. And those in whom Buckley had shown faith - new boys such as Sam Dwyer, Josh Thomas and Seedsman - repaid him on a night when the spotlight was as much on the coaches as the players.

And it was big ball that triumphed. By a knockout.

Cloke (five), Reid (four) and Witts (two) combined for 11 goals and a stack of marks.

Betts, Garlett and Yarran struggled after quarter-time although, meaningful inside 50s were few and far between.

ON TARGET

Carlton's goalkicking was a highlight early, with the Blues kicking seven goals straight. In fairness, one must add the two hurried attempts which went out on the full, but otherwise the Blues were on song. It didn't last.

PIES DOMINANT

Collingwood's six-goals-to-one second term was one of its most ruthless this season. The Magpies went from nine points down at quarter-time to 24 points up at the half. Magpie Clinton Young dragged down Dennis Armfield on the wing, which led to Scott Pendlebury's lead-taking goal, before Brent Macaffer's textbook tackle on Lachie Henderson in the forward-50 was so good that Henderson's frustrated remonstrations led to a 50-metre penalty and a shot from point-blank range. The Magpies got a standing ovation as they ran in at half-time while the Blues heard boo-birds from their supporters.

SHADE OF DAICS

Collingwood midfielder Sam Dwyer gave supporters a chance to cast their minds back to iconic forward Peter Daicos when Dwyer rolled home a freak goal late in the third term. After Jarryd Blair had fought tooth and nail to free his hands and pass to Dwyer, the former Port Melbourne midfielder saw he was pinned to the boundary, deep in the right forward pocket, so he threw the ball on his foot and it rolled through. - ROY WARD